Siphosethu Ngcangisa
Eastern Cape writer, playwright and director Unathi Ndlelantle Ngada has reached another milestone in her writing career, with her latest book, What the Walls Remember, becoming her 14th Amazon bestseller.
Other notable works include 'A South Afri(K)an Psycho', 'Utopia', 'Shame(Less): A Play', 'Complete Stories', and 'Skin: Anima Vestra'.
The 29-page short story, published on September 26, follows a love affair between two people from very different backgrounds which eventually turns deadly.
Ngada said the story centred on Nozuko, a woman from a township who has worked hard to build a better life for herself but still dreams of what she calls “The Cape Town Dream”.
Working as a receptionist at a Cape Town law firm, Nozuko becomes involved with Michael van Rensburg, the wealthy and married director of the firm.
Michael makes promises of a better life and takes her on lavish trips, convincing her that he will eventually leave his wife, Helena.
But the relationship takes a darker turn when Michael is mysteriously found dead in his car, leaving four suspects behind.
Ngada said she wanted to explore how people behave within relationships, particularly the things that can remain hidden.
“I have been intrigued by Marriage at First Sight. It was quite interesting to see how couples fight over the smallest things on camera,” she said.
“You wonder how they behave behind the camera, and the things they often fight about reveal the true nature of their personality.”
She said the title was inspired by the anime Attack on Titan, particularly its use of walls as a metaphor.
In the anime, people live within three enormous walls separating different districts, while huge creatures lie dormant within them.
When the walls are eventually broken, the creatures are awakened and begin a destructive march.
Ngada said the idea of what could be hidden within walls appealed to her when developing the story.
She also wanted readers to pay attention to the small details in the story rather than simply looking for an obvious explanation.
“When I wrote it, I was hoping and praying that the book wouldn’t be used as a manual on how to spot a cheating spouse,” she said.
“I write even the tiniest of things that a character like Nozuko would do, which, from a bird’s-eye view, is normal when, in fact, she’s cheating on her husband.”
Though the story deals with infidelity, marriage and the consequences of decisions made during difficult circumstances, Ngada said the message she wanted to leave readers with was about commitment.
“When you love someone, love them unconditionally. Every bad situation your spouse is in, for example, having financial trouble, should not compel you to make the permanent decision of finding ‘love’ elsewhere from a temporary situation,” she said.
“Don’t make permanent decisions from temporary challenges.”
Ngada said the book could be read by anyone, though married readers mighty want to approach it with some caution.
“Anyone can read it. If you’re married, say a silent prayer before reading,” she said.
She began writing the story while completing her PhD after receiving news that she had been appointed a research fellow at the University of Ghent.
Ngada said the opportunity was particularly meaningful as she became the first person in her family to reach that level of academic achievement.
Despite the story’s subject matter and the thought that went into developing its characters, Ngada said the actual writing process was quick.
“When I write, I write like a lunatic, so it actually took me two days to write this,” she said.
The latest bestseller adds to a growing list of milestones in her writing career.
Ngada holds an MA in Creative Writing and a Bachelor of Arts Honours in Drama from Rhodes University, as well as a BA in Drama from the University of Pretoria and a TEFL/TESOL certificate from the East London Language Institute.
She is a lecturer and PhD student in the School of Arts at the University of South Africa and is a member of the International Federation for Theatre Research and the Literature Association of South Africa.
For Ngada, What the Walls Remember is another opportunity to use fiction to examine relationships, choices and the things people keep hidden.
Daily Dispatch